Saved £550 on package holiday for 4 by going into High Street store

Oscar

We chose an AI holiday in July to Turkey. I found it on the Thomas Cook web site at the weekend.The hotel details stated that the rooms were suitable for three adults and they would put an extra bed in for a child. However the web site would not allow us to do this insisting that we required two rooms.

We placed two adults in one room,and an adult and a child in the other.The cost of that was £3,452.(no inflight meals)

I found the same holiday with Thomas Cook on another web site which allowed me to put all four of us in one room.The cost of which was £3,033.(with inflight meals)

I e-mailed Thomas Cook regarding this and was informed that all four of us could go in one room and did not understand why their web site was not allowing us to do so but if we wished to go ahead and book by return e-mail their cost would be £2942.(with inflight meals)

The downside of this was that it stated that the bed put in was only suitable for a child up to the age of 12. My son is only 10 but tall and well built.I did not wish him being uncomfortable for the 2 weeks. If the spare bed was a camp bed we could all have taken turns at sleeping on it.

As a result I called in at a Thomas Cook,High Street store today to see if they could clarify matters.

The travel agent was very good. After a long wait she confirmed that the bed was a smaller child size bed.

She suggested that we book two rooms puting two adults and a child in one and a single adult in another as although there are suppliments we would still get the child discount for the first room? The cost of this was £3,094.
She further discounted to £2,899.(no inflight meals)

Both rooms will be the same and can sleep up to 3 adults and when we get there its up to us how and where we sleep.(hubby can sleep on his own and snore til his heart is content without being kicked in the ribs!)

So if you find yourself in the same boat as us having to pay an adult fare for a 13yr old and take two rooms it may be worthwhile costing the rooms in that way. 2 x Adults + 1 x Child in one room,and 1 x Adult in the other.

Luvly.cuppa.T

It's amazing these blooming prices that differ from the travel agents.

Our experience was something similar , yet different!

This was last year, and we looked at Menorca, with 2 adults , 2 kids (8 and 3 yrs) and a 6 month baby.
As it stood, with 2 adults and 2 kids (+baby), the holiday would cost more than putting us in as 4 adults, which she did and it turned out to be over £130 cheaper.
This only happened as I had had a travel agent some years back put me and my young son in as 2 adults- I questioned her on this thinking that I was being 'done' , but she assured me that if he was put in as a child I would have to pay for supplements as children aren't considered a full person!!!!! This is turn would cost more than him being down as an adult.

Ridiculous isn't it?

It doesn't affect the kids whether they are put down as adults or children- they still got to go to the kids club (inc in price) and they still were only charged £5 for flight meals.
It's just the actual travel agent system.

SO ALWAYS ASK FOR YOUR KIDS TO BE PUT DOWN AS ADULTS and see if there is a differece!!!!

Liz19

I wanted to book an all-inclusive holiday for 14 nights in July 2006 for 2 adults and 2 children (14 and 11). We had been before so knew exactly what we wanted. It was a Thomsons holiday so I phoned them for a price. They gave me £3119. The Thomsons internet site gave me £2827. The local Thomsons travel agent gave me £2611 after I led her to believe I had got a better price. Thomas Cook said they would give it to me for £2602 but flying from Glasgow instead of Edinburgh. I finally got it today for £2600 (including meals, transfers, etc.) and flying from Edinburgh from First Choice. I could not believe the difference in prices and it is thanks to this site that I had the confidence to negotiate. I also booked my airport parking at a discount thanks to a code on this site. I am so chuffed!! Thanks everyone!